The standoff between the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has deepened, with the Commission suspending the processing of all major requests from the institution.
The move follows UCC’s refusal to comply with directives on the tenure of Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, who remains in office despite having crossed the compulsory retirement age.
In a letter to the Registrar dated September 22, 2025, GTEC said it would no longer process requests relating to accreditation, government subventions, GETFund support, research allowances, recruitment, or any other financial clearances until UCC provides evidence of full compliance.
The letter, signed by Acting Deputy Director-General Prof. Augustine Ocloo, stressed that the suspension takes immediate effect.
This follows an earlier directive on September 19 ordering Prof. Boampong to vacate his post, with GTEC insisting that the Vice-Chancellor’s office is a public office under Article 199(1) of the Constitution, which requires compulsory retirement at age 60. UCC’s governing statutes also limit the tenure of a Vice-Chancellor to four years, renewable for three more, provided the retirement threshold is not breached.
In the meantime, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto has been asked to act as Vice-Chancellor. A search on GTEC’s website shows UCC has been delisted from public universities, effectively indicating the university “does not exist.”
The dispute has been further complicated by a High Court injunction issued on October 8, 2024, which barred the university’s Governing Council from taking decisions on Prof. Boampong’s appointment.
Until the court resolves the matter, GTEC has directed the council to suspend the appointment of a substantive Vice-Chancellor.
